Governor



Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

Joan anbnaaor LEGBAND, IOWA.

eovumwon.

Application filed August 2a, 192 Serial in). 182,165.

. the pounding of the piston and the operation of partsby the reciprocation of such piston have resulted. The object of this 1nvention is the provision of a means in the nature of a steam governor which will reduce, if not entirely prevent such free turning of the drive wheels when the same lose their grip on the rails.

A further object is the provision of a gov- .ernorforthis purpose that is characterized by simplicity in construction, and reliability and efliciency. in practical use.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suflicient portion of a locomotive to illustrate the application of the improvement thereon.

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the improvement.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the plunger.

Secured tothe main steam line pipe that feeds steam to the cylinder of the locomotive, commonly called the main drive pipe, and indicated by the numeral L there is a short threaded pipe member 3 that sur rounds a central opening and extends from the top or cap plate 4 of my improved governor. The cylindrical body 5 of the governor has an upper flange to which the cap plate is pivoted. The lower portion of the cylindrical body 5 is flared inwardly, as at 6, and is formed with a pipe extension whose lower end is flanged, as at 7, and this flange is bolted or otherwise secured to the steam chest 8 of the locomotive 9.

In the body 7 there is centrally arranged a cylinder 10 that has its upper end formed opposite each other and passing through the cylinder 10 and through the openings 15 in the plunger there is a connecting rod 16. The rod supports thereon a plate or disc for a comparatively strong spring 17 and this spring contacting with the closed top. of the 1 plunger 14 forces the same upwardly in the cylinder and against the flange 11;

When the piston in the steam chest 8 is reciprocated in the usual manner and such reciprocation is resisted by the drive wheels infirm contact with the track rails, the steam will pass through the body 5 in the path indicated by the dotted lines inFigure 2. The steam in the body 5 and in the boiler forthelocomotive, is in this instance, wed". Should a the drive wheels lose their grlp or start to slip comparatively little resistance is offered to the piston in the steam chest with the result that the steam rushes into the chest. causing the piston to be rapidly reciprocated, which, as above stated, not only inflicts injury to the piston but to the parts operated thereby. This abnormal pressure of the steam will be directed toward the head of the plunger so that the plunger will be forced downwardly against the pressure of the spring 17 to the dotted line position in Figure 2 of the drawings, which reduces the entrance of steam to the steam chest 8. r This reduction of steam will cause a back pressure from the steam chest. and such back pressure of steam will enter the plunger to force the same. without assistance of the spring 17 to its normal seated position so that the drive wheels of the locomotive will thus be prevented from free spinning. The steam finds an outlet through the slots or openings '15 of the plunger as well as through the bottom of the plunger. The governor does not interfere with the movement of the engine either running fast or slow, unless the drive wheel slips when the flow of steam is cut ofl in a manner as just described until the drive wheels are turned at only normal speed. When the engineer opens his throttle valve to start the train the plunger 17 will be moved downwardly by the first inflow of steam but will be returned to its normal seated position by the back pressure of such steam.

The simplicity of the construction and the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art'to which such invention relates when the foregoing description has been carefully equalread in connection with the accompanying drawings, it being, of course, understood that I do not wish to be restricted to the precise details of construction herein set forth and hold myself entitled to such changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of What I claim.

Having described the invent-ion, I claim':'

1. A governor of the character described adapted to be placed between the'main steam line'and the steam chest of a locomotive and comprising a hollow body having a nipple at one end thereof for connection with the steam pipe and a flange lat the oppositeend for connection with the steam chest, said bodybeing cylindrical in shape and having its lower end converging toward a central point and terminating in a tubular portion,

a cylindrical member lying cent-rally of the body and members for holding said cylindrical member in spaced relation to said body, said cylindrical member being hollow and having its upper end inwlardly flanged, said flange having an upwardly and outwardly 'flaringsurfaee, a cylindrical hollow plunger fitting within said cylindrical member, said plunger having one end thereof closed, the periphery of which is'adapted to rest against the flange of the cylinder, said plunger having slotted sides and a transsaid plunger being closed at one end and having elongated axially extending slots, a a

rod connected to the tubular body and extending transversely through said "slots and a spring resting on said rod and contacting withthe closed end of said plunger.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN RHODES. 

